Nye County commissioners will set a date for a public hearing on a bill to increase the county sales tax one-half percent when they meet at the Amargosa Valley community center, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The proposed animal zoning ordinance will be the first item of business on the Wednesday agenda in Pahrump, and fur may fly as a number of strong opponents are expected to speak out.

Commissioners scheduled their Tuesday meeting in Amargosa Valley at the request of the Amargosa town advisory board and will meet at the Bob Ruud Community Center in Pahrump Wednesday for the planning session.

Nye County voters barely passed a ballot question Nov. 7 to increase the sales tax from 6.75 percent to 7.25 percent to pay for additional sheriff's deputies and firefighters. The Nevada Legislature then approved the increase as an amendment to an assembly bill on the last day of the session June 4.

The county commission now has to pass an ordinance for the increase to take effect. County commissioners first brought it up in August, but Commissioner Peter Liakopoulos wanted to postpone a vote for two months to study the proposal.

Commissioners will also decide whether to allocate payment equal to taxes from the Yucca Mountain project annually to Pahrump for parks and recreation funding.

The public works department has requested the declaration of a natural disaster due to the rain event of Sept. 21-22 and to use emergency funds to cover road damage and drainage problems in Pahrump, Crystal and Amargosa Valley.

The Amargosa Valley area plan will be up for adoption. The commission will also consider a bill to create a regional planning commission in Amargosa Valley.

Commissioners will attend a groundbreaking for the Home Depot store on Highway 160 in Pahrump at 8 a.m. Wednesday, then walk across the street to the Bob Ruud Community Center for the planning session.

The first item at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday's agenda is the proposed animal zoning regulations.

At 10 a.m., commissioners will reconsider a decision to deny a rate increase by Utilities Inc. of Central Nevada.